Can and jar wrench



Feb. 21, 1933.

L. H. UNDERWOOD CAN AND JAR WRENCH Filed March 12, 1951 Lea 19: Unarwaod.

TATES ATENT OFFIE LEO H. UNDERWOOD, OF W ALHONDING, OHIO can AND JAR wnmicn Application filed March 12, 1931. Serial no. 522,044.

This invention relates to an improved can of the tube and portions of the walls ar and jar wrench and one object of the invenrolled about the rings as shown at 3. This tion is to provide a device of this character is clearly shown in Figure 2. Therefore the by means'of which a can or jar may be very ends of the handle will be strengthened and firmly held while a screw top is removed, it also rough edges will be eliminated which being understood that if so desired one of the would be liable to cut the strap 4 and weaken implements may be used for holding the jar it when the device is in use. If so desired or can and another engaged with the top so the rings maybe omitted and ends of the walls that both the receptacle and the top may be turned under to eliminate rough edges firmly gripped and sufficient leverage applied This .strap 4 may be formed of any flexible 69 to cause the top to be easily unscrewed. material found suitable such as leather or Another object of the invention is to so woven fabric of the type used for belts, but construct the wrench that a flexible hand woven fabric is preferably employed as it is forming part of the same may be adjusted to strong and at the same time flexible. One

15 accommodate itself to the jar or top about end of the strap has applied theretoa mountwhich it is to be disposed and also cause the ing 5 formed of a strip of sheet metal folded band to be tightened about the jar or top. intermediate its length and secured in strad- Another object of the invention is to prodling relation to the strap by rivets 6. This vide the Wrench with a handle so constructmounting projects from the strap and is 30 ed that the flexible jar encircling strap may loosely engaged with an eye or. ring 7 carried 79 be passed through the handle and move l0nby a clip 8 also formed of sheet metal and gitudinally through the same in order to fit welded or otherwise firmly secured against tightly about a ar and to further permit the the handle 1 in spaced relation to the forward band to be firmly held in an adjusted posiend thereof. The free end of the strap is tion after being drawn about the jar and passed rearwardly through the handle and is prevented from slip 'iing while removing the then folded back upon itself and passed top of the jar. through a retainer 9 secured about the handle Another object of the invention is to proin spaced relation to the rear end thereof. It vide a device of this character which is simwill thus be seen that by drawing the strap 39 ple in construction, easy to adjust and very rearwardly through the handle or sliding it efficient in its operation. forwardly through the same, the diameter The invention is illustrated in the accomof theloop 10 formed by the forward porpanying drawing wherein: tion of the strap may be regulated and the Figure 1 is a perspective view of the deloop engaged about a jar or cap and drawn 35 vice, I tightly about the same.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view After the loop has been tightened about a through the same, and jar or its cap, the free end of the strap is Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view drawn forwardly through the retainer 9 and taken along the line 33 of Figure 1. the strap will be prevented from slipping The handle 1 of this improved implemen forwardly through the handle. The handle is preferably formed of strong sheet metal, may then be swung in a direction to move the although other materials found suitable may mounting 5 towards the handle and this will be used. The handle is in the form Of a. flat tend to reduce the diameter of the loop 10 tube of sufficient length to be easily grasped and cause the loop to be drawn very tightly in one hand, and in order to reinforce end about the jaror its cap and a jar encircled portions of the tube constituting the handle by the loop may be very firmly held while a there have been provided rings 2 formed of cap is unscrewed. The cap may be unscrewed strong wire and conforming to the contour either by grasping it in one hand or by apof the tube. plying a second implement to the cap in case 59 These rings are disposed about the ends a cap is screwed very tightly into place and leverage is necessary in order to unscrew it.

lVhile it has been stated that the device is to be used for removing caps from jars and cans, it will be obvious that it may be used for screwing a top tightly into place or for tightening or loosening pipe joints or for other purposes where it is necessary to hold one object stationary while another is screwed into or out of engagement with it.

In order to prevent any danger of the strap slipping forwardly through the handle after the loop 10 has been adjusted about a jar, there has been provided a latch 11 which extends longitudinally of the handle intermediate of its length and is mounted on an axle at. 12, said axle being securely fastened to the handle either by soldering as shown at 13 or in any other manner desired. The latch is provided with a. bill 14 which engages the strap 4 through an opening 15 formed in the handle. This bill is located close to the axle andof such length that it will pass under the axle when the end 16 of the latch is moved away from the handle. Nhen said latch has its end 16 moved to extend at an angle of 90 with the handle, it is clear that it will leave the strap free for adjustment, but when it is forced downwardly again, the bill engages the strap and is held securely by the pressure from the other side of the handle.

This bill may be provided with teeth and is intended to bite into the strap. Since it is disposed at an incline as shown in Figure 2 strain applied when the device is in use will cause the latch to more firmly grip the strap.

hat is claimed is:

1. A wrench comprising a handle consist ing of av flat open ended tube having an opening in one side wall thereof and communicating'with the interior of the tube, the other side wall of the tube being imperforate, a yoke projecting from the other side of the tube and spaced from said opening, a strip of flexible material having one end connected with said handle in spaced relation to the front end thereof, said strip being extended rearwardly through said handle to form a loop at its forward portion normally and per manently disposed wholly on one side of the handle and having its rear end projecting from the rear end of the handle and folded upon itself and passed through the yoke to form a second loop normally disposed wholly on the other side of the handle, a pin extending transversely across the opening in the tube, and a clamping member pivotally mounted on said pin and provided with a bill extending through the opening in the tube for engagement with the strip of flexible material at a point opposite the imperforate side wall: of the tube. i

2. A wrench comprising a handle consisting of a flat tube open at its opposite ends, a strip of pliable material having an end con nected with one side of the handle in spaced relation to the front end thereof, said strip being extended rearwardly through the handle to form a loop at its forward portion normally disposed wholly on one side of the handle and having its rear end projecting from the rear end of the handle and loosely connected therewith to form a loop normally disposed on the other side of said handle, and means to retain the strip in adjusted position after being moved through the handle.

3. A wrench comprising a handle consisting of a flat tube open at its opposite ends and provided with terminal laterally curved portions, and a strip of flexible material having an end connected with said handle in spaced relation to the front end thereof, a yoke carried by the handle near its rear end, said strip being extended rearwardly through said handle to form a loop at its forward portion normally and permanently disposed wholly on one side of the handle and its rear end projecting from the rear end of the handle and passed through the yoke to form a loop normally disposed on the other side of said handle whereby the rear end of the strip may be gripped by a hand grasping the handle and the strip held in adjusted position after being moved through the handle to adjust the size of its loop.

4-. A wrench comprising a handle consisting of a flat open ended tube, a yoke carried by one end of the tube, a strip of relatively stiff flexible material extending through said handle, reinforcing rings fitted about the ends of the tube, the walls of'the tube having their ends rolled about portions of the rings to hold the rings in place and form rounded ends for said walls, one end of said strip be ing loosely connected to the handle in spaced relation to the front end thereof and forming an article-encircling loop normally and per manently disposed entirely on one side of the handle, the other end of said strip being extended through the rear end of the tube and said yoke to form a loop normally disposed on the other side of said handle, and means to engage the rear portion of said strip and retain the same in a set position after being moved through the handle to adjust the size of its loop.

In testimony whereof I my signature.

LEO H. UNDERWOOD. a 8. 

